The present invention relates to thin electronic circuit components and particularly to a film-like thin electronic circuit component adapted to a non-contact system.
For example, IC cards, film computers, electronic paper, etc. are known as thin electronic circuit components. For example, the thickness of such a thin electronic circuit component is reduced to be in a range of from 0.25 to 0.76 mm.
Generally, most of IC cards used at present are of a contact type. That is, a connection terminal for electrically connecting an IC card to a reader/writer is exposed on a surface of the IC card so that the reader/writer performs an operation of reading/writing data from/into an IC chip contained in the IC card through the connection terminal.
As opposed to such contact type IC cards, thin electronic circuit components such as non-contact type IC cards have been researched and developed in recent years. In each of the non-contact type IC cards, an antenna coil is buried in the IC card so that the reader/writer reads/writes data from/into an IC chip contained in the IC card through the antenna coil by radio. With respect to such non-contact type IC cards, also the present applicant has developed trial and discussion.
Through the trial and discussion about such IC cards and a method for producing the same, the present applicant has found that there are problems as follows. That is, with respect to an IC card per se, there is a problem that the IC card is a structure which needs a large number of producing steps. With respect to the method for producing an IC card, there is a problem that the production line is long and the area of the production floor is large.
Incidentally, such problems may arise not only in IC cards but also in thin electronic circuit components such as film computers, electronic paper, etc.
A first object of the present invention is to provide an electronic circuit component which requires a small number of producing steps.
A second object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for producing thin electronic circuit components in which the length of the production line can be reduced so that the area of the production floor can be narrowed.
(1) In order to achieve the first object, the present invention provides an electronic circuit component which comprises a film, an electric conductor pattern formed on one surface of the film and including an antenna coil, an electronic component electrically connected to the electric conductor pattern and fixed to the film by a fixing liquid, and a cover film which is laminated on the film so that the electric conductor pattern and the electronic component are covered with the cover film.
By the aforementioned configuration, the electronic circuit component is provided as a single layer structure in which the electric conductor pattern is formed only on one surface of the film. Accordingly, the thickness of the electronic circuit component can be reduced.
(2) In order to achieve the aforementioned second object, the present invention provides a method comprising: a drying step in which paste printed on a surface of a film is dried to thereby form an electric conductor pattern; a component mounting step in which an electronic component is mounted on the electric conductor pattern formed on the surface of the film and the electronic component is fixed onto the electric conductor pattern by a temporary fixing material; and a laminating step in which the electronic component is connected to the electric conductor pattern and a cover film is laminated on the film.
According to the aforementioned method, the electric conductor pattern is formed only on one surface of the film, so that the drying step can be reduced and the production line can be shortened.
(3) Preferably, in the above paragraph (2), the drying step includes radiating a light beam onto the paste to thereby dry or thermally harden the paste.
By the aforementioned method, the total length of a drier can be reduced, so that the production line can be extremely shortened.
(4) Preferably, in the above paragraph (3), the light beam is generated to have a wavelength which is high in absorption factor with respect to the paste and high in transmission factor with respect to the film.
According to the aforementioned method, the shrinkage of the film caused by heat can be suppressed. Therefore, an annealing step provided as a preparatory step can be eliminated, so that the production line can be shortened.
(5) In order to achieve the aforementioned second object, the present invention provides a method comprising: a component-mounting step in which an electronic component is mounted on an electric conductor pattern formed on one surface of a film and the electronic component is fixed to the electric conductor pattern by a temporary fixing material; and a laminating step in which the electronic component is connected to the electric conductor pattern and a cover film is laminated on the film, wherein in the laminating step, the cover film which is coated with paste is heated/pressed so that the cover film is laminated on the film and, at the same time, connection terminals of the electronic component fixed onto the electric conductor pattern are connected to the electric conductor pattern.
By the aforementioned method, lamination and component connection are performed simultaneously in one step, so that the production line can be shortened.
(6) In order to achieve the aforementioned second object, the present invention provides an apparatus comprising: a printing/coating means for printing or applying a temporary fixing material on a component mount position of a film having an electric conductor pattern formed on its one surface; a component mounting means for mounting an electronic component on the electric conductor pattern formed on the one surface of the film; and a simultaneous lamination/component-connection means for connecting the electronic component to the electric conductor pattern and laminating a cover film on the film at the same time.